M1 Pro Battery Issue - incorrect battery percent

[mklxr]

I have bought brand new MacBook Pro 14 M1 Pro. After 2 month of normal use, I noticed strange thing - when the battery drains to 18-25% it can turn off without any warning! If I plug it in to power, it immediately shows these 18-25%. If I try to reboot it - it can show 10% for example. I tried everything what I can, diagnostics, Mac OS Monterey reinstallation, but nothing helps. I went to official apple repair service and they changed the top case of my MacBook. Problem solved for 1 month. Then I upgraded my MacBook to Mac OS Ventura. Problem started again.

Has anyone encountered such a problem? What are the solution methods?
Please, help

 

[JustAnotherMacUser1]

I also have this issue currently and would like to know how to fix it.

 

[Mike Boreham]

My understanding is that when devices shut down from a reasonable percentage (and then that percentage shows again on reboot) it is caused by a faulty cell dropping out and in. I have only seen it on phones, but I imagine it could happen with Macs.

It may not be a faulty cell, but, whatever it is, in your position I would definitely persist with Apple in getting a resolution while your machine is inside the one year cover.

PS I expect you will get suggestions to calibrate the battery, and you could try that, but in my experience it did not solve it but it might do if the issue is not a faulty cell. Lots of articles about calibrating, with quite a variation, many saying no longer necessary. But this one from iFixit might be worth trying.

 

[benwiggy]

Take it back to the Apple Store. Suggest that they give you a full replacement unit.

 

[mklxr]

I was in Apple store and they simply changed the top case of my MacBook again. I hope that this problem will not appear, but I am afraid that after 1-2 months it would appear. Maybe they have a high percentage of marriage among MacBook top cases?

Take it back to the Apple Store. Suggest that they give you a full replacement unit.

Unfortunately, they say that they don't give full replacement Mac's.

I also have this issue currently and would like to know how to fix it.

If you find some other solution, please, write it in this topic. Have you gone to the apple store already?

 

[benwiggy]

Where in the world are you? Most countries have consumer laws that should allow you a refund or replacement for defective goods.

You've been very unlucky -- hopefully, third time's the charm.

 

[rohitsingh]

Hi... I am glad I found this as I have exact same issue. My MBP 14 is 2 months old (in warranty & under AppleCare as well). The issue popped from last 15 days. When the battery drops to around 25-26%... it can suddenly go into sleep mode without any warning. 10 days back it used to happen around battery level 17-18% now it happens around battery level 23-24%. Once it goes into sleep mode, if I plug in charger and wake it.... it shows battery level as 9%.... and then it will amazingly recharge battery from 9% level to 25-30% in around 5 mins (I have 67 watt standard charger).

I had multiple sessions with Apple Phone Support trying to isolate. Here is summary:

STEP 1: SMC Reset. The issue persists.
STEP 2: Try replicating issue in Safe Mode... the issue persists.
STEP 3: Reinstall MacOS Venture.... the issue persists.
STEP 4: Delete entire Machintosh HD and reinstall macOS Monterey... the issue is still there.
STEP 5: Run Apple inbuilt diagnostic from boot menu... it says "Error Code ADP000" meaning no software issues and can only be a hardware issue.

STEP 6: Went to Apple support outlet. They run some hardware diagnostic and it does not show any error (when battery level was 70% and test done with Power cable plugged in). However the engineer is sure it is physical battery issue.


I will post the rest of ordeal as it happens. Can you update if you have been able to get it fixed ??

 

[BigMcGuire]

All I can say is that a device shutting off before reaching 0% is usually indicative of a failing battery. Due to the cost of replacing said battery, I can see why Apple is reluctant to replacing but that's really disappointing ... I'd love to see a coconutBattery report on these batteries.

My wife had a phone that did this - it would drop like a brick to 40% and then shut off, and when turning it back on it would show 5% then you'd plug it in and it would hit 60% within minutes. We took it to Apple and they said it was "green" and refused to replace it despite seeing it shut off. This was the 6s+. They eventually replaced it when we insisted and Apple refunded the cost later on during that big lawsuit.

Very similar experience to the above post. :/

 

[FreakinEurekan]

STEP 5: Run Apple inbuilt diagnostic from boot menu... it says "Error Code ADP000" meaning no software issues and can only be a hardware issue.

That’s… kind of the opposite of what ADP000 means. It’s testing hardware, not software.

 

[mklxr]

Hi... I am glad I found this as I have exact same issue.

Hi rohitsingh! You described my problems exactly and all my troubleshooting steps.
I went to the official apple repair service again. They changed top case again and the problem gone. But I think it will appear in 1-2 months. More than that, apple made a poor quality repair and forgot to screw MagSafe! They screwed it, when I came there again. But what next? Right speaker of my MacBook made a terrible sound. I went to the service again, they are changing top case AGAIN! 3d time!! I have never been so disappointed with any product or service.

I think that problem with battery will appear again. And I don't know what to do with that. Quality of apple products and their service now at the lowest level.

Am I right, that Apple didn't agree to repair your MacBook? Please, share here the next steps and how did you solve this problem

Where in the world are you? Most countries have consumer laws that should allow you a refund or replacement for defective goods.

You've been very unlucky -- hopefully, third time's the charm.

Apple left my country. So, they can only repair but not change or refund.

 

[rohitsingh]

Hi rohitsingh! You described my problems exactly and all my troubleshooting steps.
Am I right, that Apple didn't agree to repair your MacBook? Please, share here the next steps and how did you solve this problem



Apple left my country. So, they can only repair but not change or refund.

Hi... My case is not in capacity of being solved by local service centre and Apple Remote hardware support has taken the case over. They sent me a utility (DMG file). I was supposed to run the DMG immediately post I encounter an unplanned shutdown. The DMG has some utility which gathers all sensor related data & logs and sends to Apple for their research. I submitted the logs today today and I am awaiting to hear back from them now on what next.

By the way... I noticed the issue started when battery level was 17-18%... then it shifted to 25%... not it is going forward to near about 30%.

My machine is 2 months old so under standard 1 year warranty as well as in AppleCare. I will push for replacement / refund if they are unable to solve it and keep you posted.

 

[okkibs]

All I can say is that a device shutting off before reaching 0% is usually indicative of a failing battery.

Exactly. Likely when they say top case replacement they did switch out the battery as well. That's because often top case and battery are sold as one part. If you have noted down the battery serial number in the system profiler you can check if it changed and if so, then that means you got a new battery installed.

It would make no sense to replace the top case otherwise as only the keyboard is permanently mated to it. If Apple had only changed the top case, all you'd get is the new housing and a new keyboard. It doesn't make any sense to do that for a battery issue and I am very sure that a new battery was installed with the new top case.

And that should indeed resolve the problem.

Apple will not replace the entire device with a new one if they can avoid it. Apple sets their own warranty terms and they don't guarantee entire device replacements anywhere. This is in the legal fineprint you agreed to when you wired Apple the money. I don't think it's fair to expect a complete device replacement when that was never something you and Apple agreed to before the purchase.

Even by local consumer protection laws you have to give the seller a reasonable option to remedy the issue. For the consumer protection laws in the EU for example this means for smaller issues like reduced battery runtime here a single (!) repair attempt must be allowed. But if it's a major fault then the seller needs to replace the device. For example if a brand new Mac dies completely, that's more of a major fault than some charge issue as the device is now completely unusable. Waiting weeks for a repair is out of the question then. Even then you have to specifically request a replacement under that law, by default Apple will attempt to treat it as a regular warranty case and will repair it. They will never voluntarily offer it.

 

[rohitsingh]

UPDATE:

While the Apple support still come to final conclusion on Logs submitted, one option suggested was to replace top case & battery. I am holding until I hear back their conclusion.

On the other hand, the machine has surprisingly rectified by itself. For last few days, there has been no unplanned shutdown. I did try taking the batteries empty and then recharging to 100% in single charge flat. Not sure if that has rectified the issue.... OR will it still come back to haunt. However for now... the machine is normal !!!